Fitting In
by Blackmoondragon1415
Summary: Dragon's first week visiting the castle couldn't have been the best of days. R&R please.
1. Chapter 1: Starting Off

Not one of my longest or one of my better. T_T. I don't own Jane and the Dragon. Please read and hopefully enjoy.

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Fitting In

Dragon looked from his perch on the castle wall, down at the courtyard where the knights usually practice. Today, however, it was almost empty, save for himself and Jane, who was smacking around the dummy with a wooden sword. It made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

It had only been about a week since he had met Jane, and he cherished their friendship dearly, but what he didn't like was that when he came down to watch Jane practice, all the other knights would leave the yard as soon as they saw him coming. It wasn't that they were afraid of him, no, they just plain hated him. Jane had tried the best she could to make her friend feel somewhat welcome when he came, but it didn't stop the fact that he had heard the knights whispering to one another on several occasions, calling him a 'savage beast' and 'fire-breathing monster'. They didn't dare say anything directly to him, in that they were frightened of him. But the whispering still bothered him like a haunt, and they wouldn't let him or Jane get near enough to tell them to stop.

A small movement down in the courtyard caught his eye, and he straightened up just in time to see the princess, Lavinia, skip merrily into the yard. Suddenly, she looked over to him, an unreadable expression on her face. Dragon tried to give a friendly wave, but once he saw her eyes land apprehensively on his claws, he drew them out of sight. He was trying to make a good impression, not scare her!

While he was berating himself for an apparently failed chance to break the ice, he failed to notice Lavinia tap Jane, pulling the young squire out of her practice session. Lavinia whispered something in Jane's ear, lightly pointing to Dragon for a moment. Jane thought, then whispered back, a small smile on her face. And with that, the princess turned and skipped out, and Jane resumed her practice. Dragon on the other hand, had only tuned into the last few seconds of the exchange, and didn't catch any words at all.

_What was all that about?_

A few hours later, Jane and Dragon returned from a fantastic patrol just in time to catch a few ladies-in-waiting including Jane's mother, rushing about the castle, calling for Lavinia as they went.

"Mother, what has happened?" Jane asked, just managing to get her mother's attention before she could follow the flock.

"It is the princess, Jane! She is nowhere to be found! You haven't seen her have you?"

"Not since this morning, no." Jane replied, a troubled look adorning her face. Dragon gave a light wince. He hoped nothing bad had happened to the little girl.

While Jane's mother hurried off with the other ladies in waiting, Jane turned to the lizard behind her with a concerned look that mirrored his own.

"Dragon, would you be alright checking the castle from the air?"

"Alright, but what about you?"

"I'll go see to some areas that they might have not thought to check yet. Are you certain you will be alright?" His friend asked again, a different kind of worry in her voice. Over the last week, Dragon had been very unwilling to leave her side. It was understandable, since a majority of the castle scorned the out-of-place reptile like he was a blot on the fine name of their kingdom.

"Better start looking for that princess quickly, men, before the fire-breather gets her. You know how they get around princesses." A knight said off to the side of the courtyard, quiet enough to escape Jane's ears but loud enough for Dragon to hear. His face turned from meekly impassive to a boldly vivid glower. He was tired of them insulting him behind his back, and of their disrespecting him and Jane. He was going to show them that he could be good for something, and that he could earn their respect.

"I'll be fine." He replied before taking off for the airspace around the castle. Jane looked after him for a moment, wondering what had brought about the change, before remembering the urgency of the task at hand and starting off for what she knew were a few of the princess's favorite hiding places.

Dragon soared around one of the turrets of the castle, keeping one eye on the towers and one eye on the search below. He saw Jane darting around to different places that he didn't think were even possible to accommodate one little girl. The reptile had the feeling that Lavinia did this often, finding more and more elaborate hiding spots as she went. His mind was half on the search, half on the remark that he had just heard. Why did shortlives feel a need to pick at things like that? All he wanted to do was to help his friend on her way to knighthood, was that really all that bad?

His inner rant was interrupted when he spotted a flicker of light violet on a castle tower.

He flew a little closer, and nearly fell out of the sky in shock. Lavinia was standing on the stone border of the tower, and walking on it like balancing on a tightrope. By the way she was wobbling, and how she was dangerously close to the edge, the only outcome that he could think of happening was her falling to her probable death on the cobblestones a good ways down.

A few people below had noticed the scene, and were pointing up at the little princess, calling for her to come down, hopefully not in any drastic change of height. Dragon's instinct overcame any initial fear, and he dove for the little girl before she could hurt herself. He could hear people shouting from below, but the words seemed to be almost non-existent in his ears, his mind focused solely on getting Lavinia to solid ground. Reaching out, he let out a sigh of relief as he felt his paws cup lightly around the girl.

Dragon flew her carefully down to the courtyard below, eyes trying not to fall on those of the more livid looking knights. If he thought they had hated him before, he'd sure hate to think what they'd do now that he'd outshined them. It wasn't something he wanted to dwell on at the moment.

The lizard tried to focus on the fact that the king was coming over to thank him, and collect his daughter, but right away his ears picked up the whispering from the knights. Hurting, stinging words that felt like hot pokers were coming at him from the group, making him want to speak up, or at least show some indication that he wasn't going to take much more of the abuse. His attention was drawn back to the king when the princess climbed out of his paws and practically dove into her father's waiting arms. The scene momentarily warmed his heart, bringing a small smile to his face, and he decided to throw in his own bit.

"I'm just here to help." He was looking meaningfully at the knights as he said it, letting them know it was his stand. At first, it would seem that his well-chosen words had no effect on the cold-hearted metal-clads, but a few began to look at Dragon with intentness, as though seeing the lizard in a new light. Dragon nodded in their direction, showing no hard feelings. The others were all looking like he was something that crawled out of a sewer drain and died. He sighed; couldn't win them all, but at least he had gotten through to a few of them. That alone was good enough.

He spied Jane coming over, giving a quick bow before throwing a questioning glance at Dragon. He shook his head a little, indicating that now wasn't the time or place.

A little later, he and Jane had retreated to Jane's tower, and were now discussing the events of the late morning. While they were talking, Dragon happened to notice a knight down in the yard, swinging away at the dummy. When he spun around to strike again, the knight's eyes caught his, and it was as though an invisible beam of understanding went between them. The man nodded curtly, and Dragon returned the gesture before coming back to their conversation. Not by much, but it was definitely a step up from prior treatment.

"I'm sorry I sent you off by yourself." Jane was saying.

"Oh, no it's alright. I was fine." Dragon amended. She would have no idea how much it had helped.

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There. This one ran on the idea that everything couldn't have been comfortable for the first few days of visiting on Dragon's end. Not really happy with it, but if you like, you like. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2: Scheming

Yeah, this is a little short, but I wanted to set up some of the backstory for this, and felt like this was all the chapter needed. Hate if you like, but no flames.

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Chapter 2: Scheming

The knights met inside the tavern in the village. If the girl overheard what they were going to do to her precious beast, she would tell the king and they'd all get in trouble. A girl knight was one thing, that could be accepted somewhat, but a dragon treating the castle like a second home was something else entirely, that could_ not _go unpunished. Something had to be done, and it had to be done now.

"It'll be too conspicuous if we do away with it in the cave. That girl will come looking for it."

"We need to keep her busy long enough to capture and hold it somewhere. Then when we kill it we can say that it was a malevolent beast all along and was planning to attack the castle when we stopped it. The girl is a girl; no one will listen to her side of the story." One spoke up, a sinisterly clever grin on his face.

"Rennard, you know as well as I do that the king will listen to her as he would one of us, girl or no." Another cautioned.

"James, all of us testifying against one? We will convince the king that our story is the right one. All we need to do is to keep that girl busy. A few days at the most should be long enough. I will think out the details, you all just worry about how to distract the girl. Don't forget, Magus Breech has promised us assistance in the matter. His money can get what we need." Rennard instructed to the five other knights seated around the table. Along with James, there was John, Richard, Fredric, Ackerley, and Barden. A little ways away sat the other squire, Gunther, trying to be like one of the knights. He had a feeling his father had been in on this, for it was he that told Gunther to attend. The squire did not think that this was a good idea, however. The only knights that were not there were Sir Ivon, a newer and more outgoing knight, with a heavy Scottish accent, and Sir Theodore, the older of the fold, and more reflective than the other knights. Ivon, being Gunther's mentor, had warned the lad against taking such action over Dragon, but his father had been the decidedly more persuasive of the two.

Now here he was, getting involved with a plot that seemed to be entirely too ambitious for it's purpose, and a little much over a lizard that quite simply visited the castle daily. If it was over the matter of dung, the gardener, Rake, had used it for fertilizer, negating most of the stench. Gunther simply believed it had to do with the old stories of knights slaying dragons, and the simple un-naturalness behind the fact that Jane had become a squire by befriending Dragon instead of killing him had irked the other knights to no end. Now they were taking into their own hands to get rid of Dragon, regardless of what he had done for the castle, or the fact that he had just saved the princess's life a few days ago.

Gunther blocked out the troubling thoughts as he paid attention to the last few words, then left to tell his father what had been said. The knights, meanwhile, whispered among themselves as they left the tavern and headed for the castle.

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Jane was hard at work with the dummy when a green blur came crashing down into the other end of the practice yard, slamming into the wall with a loud thud. She wasn't all that perturbed to see Dragon in another awkward position, half up the wall this time, grinning at her in an effort to cover up his hasty attempt to get off the battlements. Because he wasn't entirely focused on the task, he did not notice the fact that his tail had been caught between two of the rocks that made up the ridged pattern on the castle wall. What happened?

He pulled too hard, accidentally dislodging both his tail and the stone it had been wedged on. Both crashed to the ground, and Dragon hurriedly picked up the stone and put it back in it's proper place, albeit a little crooked.

"Patrol?" Dragon asked weakly, front paws crossed in a quick attempt for innocence. Jane couldn't help but grin at his antics.

"Absolutely." She replied, causing the reptile to break out into a more relaxed smile as she got on his back and the two rode off into the bright sky. Jane had to agree, her friend had definitely become a more sociable creature around the castle. The majority of the knights still refused to acknowledge their existence, but the staff around the castle, including Jester, Pepper, Rake, and Smithy had been very kind over the whole matter, even by going so far as to give Dragon a proper greeting when the rest of the staff simply looked him over before walking away. The princess, even, had taken a shine to the fire-breather, and had asked Smithy to make her a set of play-wings that she could wear. Either way, things were going good for the two, and in their opinion, nothing could destroy the wonderful friendship the two had forged. Little did they know, it would be a trying number of days ahead.

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Yeah, if you like, please R&R. It helps the creative juicies flow. ^^ Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3: The First Step

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon. Sorry, sorry, sorry for the shortness! I just didn't feel that this needed anymore. It was, in effect, the 'first step'. Read and Review, please!

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Chapter 3: The First Step

Jane and Dragon flew over the castle after a successful patrol over Kippernia. Laughing and talking up a storm, they soared down to the garden. Dragon came down with an unsteady thud, trying not to flatten any of the vegetables in his landing. Jane dismounted with a cheerful chuckle before heading off to the castle kitchen.

Dragon looked after her before a small sound off to the side caught his curiosity like a fish on a hook. He looked over to the source of the sound to see one of the knights, the obnoxious one with brown hair, glancing at him like a menacing predator eyes his prey as he walked down the bridge-like path that lead to the knight's quarters.

Not exactly in the mood for haughty glances and lance-like words, Dragon gave his own resolutely un-intimidated look back before taking off for a nice, relaxing flight, the shifty knight already falling far from his mind. Had he looked back down, he might have noticed the eerily leering grin the knight gave his retreating figure before closing the door to his room.

As soon as the knight, the one called Rennard, was sure of the fact that he was alone, his attention turned to a heavy-looking leather-bound book on the table next to his bed. The faded title read '_Dragonology: The Complete Study of Dragon-Kind'_. At the moment, Rennard appeared to be interested in only one section, however. The one called '_Dragons and Plants'_. Rennard turned the pages until he found the description and drawing of the plant he was looking for; _Devil Rose_. Reading the description carefully, the knight marked down the name on a small piece of parchment before folding it up and taking it with him as he walked out the door to destinations unknown.

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"Good afternoon, Pepper!" Jane called as she entered the homely kitchen. A quickly-moving shape in between the tables was the only hint that there was even someone else in the room. As soon as she heard the greeting, however, Pepper paused in her duties for a moment to say hello to her friend.

"Hello Jane!"

"How's lunch coming, Pepper?" The red-head inquired as she looked over the various plants and spices that the young cook had out to help her prepare the noon meal. Thankfully, there was nothing that appeared to be harmful in any way, but knowing Pepper, who was starting to branch out with her recipes, something odd would definitely be made. Dragon seemed to have backed her with this quest, as he'd often be caught swiping various dishes that the young cook had laid on the windowsill to cool. Pepper had to make it a learned habit to find a less reachable space, from the prince and a hungry reptile.

"Coming along just fine!"

"Do you need any help?" Jane asked. Almost immediately, the red-head found a butter churn gestured to for her handiwork.

"I suppose I could use another few hands."

"Definitely a few more hands." The squire remarked jokingly as she began to churn. A sudden clatter at the door heralded the arrival of one of the knights, Ackerley.

"Excuse me, cook, but Rennard and I require a packed lunch. We are going out on knightly duties and will be away for most of the afternoon."

"Coming right away, Sir Knight." Pepper answered dutifully, and within a few minutes Ackerley was on his way with two packs, each laden with some Pepper's delectable lunch. Where they were headed however was far from what one would consider a 'knightly duty'. They were going to the local apothecary, for one of the most exotic and rare plant the kingdom of Kippernia had ever heard of.

The man answered the banging on his door with his usual bad-tempered nature.

"I'ma comin'! I'ma comin'! 'old yer-" the ranting was immediately cut off when he realized exactly who he was yelling at. "Oh. 'S ye knights. Wha' would ye wan' wit' an ol' man li'e meself?"

"We need something that you may have in stock, apothecary." One, with brown hair, answered. There was an almost commanding yet sinister air around him that made the elderly, shrewd man want to get whatever it was and send them on their way as fast as he could.

"Well? Wha' be th' poison?"

"It's the plant called Devil Rose."

"Wha' make ye tink I got such a plant?"

"I can pay you handsomely." The knight offered, proffering a sack that chinked and clattered softly as he tossed it in his hands. The apothecary eyed the sack for a moment before sighing and delving into a small piece of information.

"I 'ave the plant ye seek, but there be a few tings th' books ne'er mention. One, ye only need a lil' t' smell, an' two, too much use, an' it be poison to drag'ns."

"The information is helpful, but I still wish to purchase a few sprigs. My offer still stands. Every coin in this sack." The knight answered, adamantly moving the sack like a hypnotist moves a pendulum. The apothecary looked from the sack to the ground, then seemed to come to a decision.

"Wai' 'ere." He said before going back into his ramshackle hut. Coming out a few moments later, his hands clutched several sprigs of a plant with blood-red petals and oddly greenish-yellow stalks, which he relinquished from his hands like the plague. The knight took them like they were gold, and forked over the bag, only to have the apothecary practically slam the door in his face as soon as the transaction was complete.

"We have what we need. Let's go." The brown-haired knight uttered to his companion before they both went for their mounts.

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The Devil Rose idea partually came from this one scene in 'The Flight of Dragons' where the flower [either called Dragon's Rose or something that sounded alot like it] is used to basically knock out a few dragons like a tranquilizer. Good movie actually.

Read and Review Please ^^!


	4. Chapter 4: Chores and Plots

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon. I only own the evil knights, and I don't think anyone wants them.

Anyone ever notice how many dragon-based stories are out there? We've got Jane and the Dragon, DragonHeart, The Dragon and the George, Bazil Broketail, Flight of Dragons, Dragon Century, Dragon Drive, Dragon Tales, Spyro[anyone got any news about their movie, by the way?], along with many others. Who can say they don't hold some influence and image in today's world?

That was my pointless ramble of the day. Enjoy!

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Chapter 4: Chores and Plots

Gunther and Jane whirled about in a dizzying clash as wooden swords swung wildly around. This was one of many bouts, sometimes with a more verbal flare, sometimes no. Today it was a little less conversation, a lot more action.

"Go for his right! His right! No, I mean his left!"

But Dragon seemed to be capable of making enough noise for both of them. It could just be the perks of having a larger pair of lungs, but the fire-breather was easily able to render you momentarily deaf if he yelled loud enough.

Thankfully, this fearsome volume was usually only attained during the sparring matches that frequented the practice yard and the squires' days.

"Always need your green lapdog there to cheer you on?" Gunther hissed as his sword tried to find an opening in Jane's right side. A resounding clatter of wood announced his failure to exploit any weakness. And Dragon seemed to, if possible, grow louder.

"Slay his rump, Jane! SLAY HIS RUMP!!!" Came the resounding shouting from the wall. Dragon appeared to be as rowdy as an enthusiastic fan at a football game, and with a huge reptile that could easily crush a person in his hand [not that he would] you could guess that this could possibly end badly.

Before anything could go wildly out of hand, the stable doors burst open to reveal two of the knights, Rennard and Ackerley, standing there with all the solemnity of the Ring Wraths about to impale their victims. Both the squires immediately stopped, and Dragon even found himself clamming up.

"Your mentors want you to start your chores. And, Jane…" Rennard ordered, as Ackerley shepherded the awkward-looking Gunther off into the stables. "…the armory and shields need a good cleaning. Supplies are in the storage room."

And with that he turned and headed back into the stables, following Ackerley. Jane sighed, turning to Dragon with an apologetic look before going off in the direction of the armory.

Dragon sighed as he watched Jane go off to perform the long list of chores given to her by the knight. He had hoped to go on patrol, or just some enjoyable cloud jousting, but it now seemed that neither were about to take place. Might as well go flying by himself if this was going to be the case. His wings spread to the open air as flight rushed through his being. Within minutes, he had left the castle far behind, and the wind rushed over him as he rode it to a more remote area of Kippernia.

Suddenly, something shining down on the ground caught his eye, like someone had allowed a mirror to pick up the sun's rays. Curiosity snagged his attention like a fish, and Dragon found himself flying in for a closer look. Trailing it through the valley, he followed it until it vanished at a rock face. Didn't fade away, just simply flickered once, then disappeared. Dragon had seen quite a bit, but that took the cake. Maybe someone was in trouble?

The inquisitive reptile landed near the rock face, and finding that the spot at which the light went was a crevasse large enough for him to squeeze into. Beyond it was utter black, something that even his eyes couldn't see through. He drew back a little, slightly intimidated by the ominous turn of events, but interest made him approach.

"Hello?" Dragon called, then listened intently for some sort of response. His ears did pick up something; a faint murmur from somewhere in the belly of the caverns, too far away to tell what it was, yet loud enough to know that it was indeed there.

"Hello? Is someone there?" He rang out again, a bit louder this time. And now, a response came.

_"Help me!"_

It was very weak, albeit a cry for help. It also wasn't something Dragon couldn't ignore even if he wanted to. Tentatively entering the darkness, his eyes tried to focus on something, anything, that could help him in distinguishing where he was, or where the person in danger was.

Suddenly, a light flickered from somewhere on the edge of his vision, firelight. Was someone nearby?

Dragon stumbled around blindly as he tried to make his way over to the glow. Twice he narrowly avoided smacking his head on the ceiling, among other close calls with stalactites and stalagmites. But, once he had arrived in the spot that he had seen the light, he saw nothing. Just pure black, like nothing had even been.

Sniffing around, his ears and nose started to try and make up for vision.

Then an odd smell wafted into his noise. Something like incense and a heavy musky scent invaded his consciousness, slowly smothering his senses into submission.

Dragon slowly fell to the ground, blanking out into dazed slumber. Once he was down, the sound of chains echoed around the cave, as shadows unseen began to close in on the comatose reptile, like predators circling their prey.

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So, where are the angry mobs of Dragon-fans?-Sees people with torches and pitchforks- And that's my que to skidaddle. Read and review, please! -hides in bomb shelter-


	5. Chapter 5: Little Lost Dragon

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon, although I wish I did [doesn't everyone?].

Quote that I've got stuck in my head right now: "And I don't want the world to see me/ Cause I don't think that they'd understand/ Cause when everythings made to be broken/ I just want you to know who I am"

~Iris, by the Goo Goo Dolls. Thought it suited this chapter, but it didn't seem like a good idea to do a song here.

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Chapter 5: Little Lost Dragon

Jane looked dolefully at all the shields and weaponry that occupied the armory. She was supposed to get all of this done? Along with the shields in the knights quarters?

Putting down her supplies, she reached for the first sword, grappling it successfully into an easy-to-clean position, her rag poised to begin. As she worked, she could have sworn that she heard someone moving around in the back, but never saw anyone. While she was cleaning, Ackerley watched from behind a few shelves, just to make sure the girl was busy. And, out one of the windows, Jane could see the entrance yard for the castle and at the moment the Merchant, Magnus Breech, was down there with a full cartload of supplies, along with Gunther, Richard, and James. The squire didn't pay much attention to it, considering that the knights often presided over the transaction just to make sure Magnus didn't try to swindle them out of their money. But the conversation taking place was far from routine.

"Has the trap been set?" Magnus asked Richard, an almost calculating and greedy look on his face as he adjusted the rich clothes to a more proper fit around his swelled gut. Gunther looked uncomfortable as he loaded the various casks and boxes off the cart, and also tried to listen in as well as he could.

"Yes, in the cavern offshoot in the northern valley. Not many people know about that, so no one will come poking around anytime soon."

"And, considering that I financed this…excursion, will I be receiving…?"

"Again, you will have your share of dragon teeth, and any other part that is useful. We will need to clear it all out fast though, or it shall look suspicious if someone happens on any remains in the cave; the final preparations will take place tonight. If all goes well, you shall have all your pay in two days time."

Gunther gulped a little at that; this deed now felt seriously wrong. Not only were they killing Dragon, they would be stripping him down, practically once he was dead, not even allowing the reptile to rest properly. Everything in the consciousness of Gunther Breech, while somewhat distorted by his father's 'teaching', practically screamed for something to be done. That someone would discover what these corrupted knights were up to. But he was the only one involved that could tell the line between right and wrong; now that they had chosen a bloodless way of death, James had clammed up and joined in without complaint.

Of course, this left Gunther at square one, the one who had seen the right, and didn't know how to bring it about. Suddenly, an idea entered his mind, and as soon as he was released from his duties, he made his way over to the knight's quarters. More specifically, Rennard's room. He knew that the over-zealous knight was away for the evening, and knew where he kept the certain books and papers that would easily explain the plot to any outsider.

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Dragon woke slowly, his mind still feeling oddly fogged. He wanted to go back to sleep, to fall back into the blackness that had gathered at the corners of his mind. The great lizard was just about to do so when the memory of the bright shine came back. He had followed it to a cave, and then the strange scent…

His eyes shot open, or at least he thought they did. All he could see was black. Dragon panicked for a second, and tried to get to his feet. A chorus of clanking told him his body had been tightly bound to the…ground he was on. He was chained, why was he chained? He tried to flail his way out, but the cursed-metal held him tight. Dragon was just about to see if maybe a little fire would help his situation when a bright light suddenly flooded into his vision. Blinking as the light got closer; he realized it was none other than the shifty, obnoxious knight he had seen around the castle.

"Wh-What are you doing? Let me out!" The nerved fire-breather cried, thrashing a little in his tight bonds. The all-too smug look on the knight's face gave him the eerie feeling of predator and prey. And he was pretty sure that he wasn't the advantageous one in this situation.

"Just getting rid of a troubling problem. And no, you can't leave just yet."

Dragon tried once more to push himself to his feet, but the chains refused to break, or shift in any way that allowed any good movement.

"Don't bother fire-breather. I made sure those chains wouldn't break anytime soon. As for any hope of someone coming to help you, I wouldn't count on it. We sent your friend off with so many chores that she won't notice your absence until it is too late. Even if she does find you, we can deal with her as well." Rennard's expression had gotten downright sinister by now, and the shadows dancing from the flames only enhanced the mood. There was one thing that Dragon could tell for sure was that the knight was fully ready to carry out his threat.

"Leave Jane alone." The reptile hissed back, but a glimmer of fear showed in his eyes.

"If she doesn't come, I won't do anything to her. Besides, what makes you think she will come for a clumsy, burdening beast like yourself?"

Dragon fell silent at this. Was he a burden, too much of a liability? He had been the cause of quite a few accidents at the castle, perhaps a little bit of that was his fault. But that didn't mean he was holding Jane back was he?

"Oh, you don't think that, given the chance that she does find out, she will bother to come to the aid of something people would call a walking disaster?" Rennard said softly, with all the good intentions of a scorpion. Exploit the weakness, and break the beast before he ended its life, that was his plan. And right now, it seemed to be working. Dragon was now giving off the appearance and shattered demeanor of a lost child. His eyes stayed fixed on the ground in an almost hurt stare as he drunk in the knight's slippery words.

"I'll leave you to think about what I've said." Rennard said before walking away with the torch, leaving Dragon, alone, confused, and conflicted, in the thick blanket of darkness.

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Jane walked out of the armory, her arms sore and aching from the vigorous workout with the rag. Evening was approaching; she had been at this for almost two hours. As she went across the practice yard, her eyes fell on the far wall, and suddenly was reminded of the reptile that liked to lounge on it. Dragon had been away for a while, for him…Usually, he would at least be here.

The sudden sound of scuffling from the stables made the squire turn, just in time to see Gunther walking toward her.

"Haven't seen the dragon around." Gunther remarked, trying to sound casual. He instantly noticed the red-head stiffen.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon." Jane replied, her tone completely contradicting the tumult of thoughts going through her mind. It was unlike Dragon to stay away for this long and not at least giving some hint of his presence about the castle. Some inner instinct told her that something was deeply wrong with this picture.

"Do you know about the catacombs?" Gunther asked suddenly, head swinging in the general way of the wall Dragon usually resided on when he visited.

"Yes, of course, everyone does." Jane answered, an eyebrow raised. Was Gunther, her rival ever since she had become a squire, trying to tell her something about where Dragon was?

"Have you perchance heard about the offshoot?"

Jane's curiosity immediately spiked. "What offshoot?"

"There is supposed to be an opening that lies in the northern part of the valley, as an escape route in case of invasion." Now Jane caught the gesture, Gunther's head jerked firmly in the direction of the wall, then toward the knight's quarters, his overall look giving a warning. Jane didn't quite understand, and turned to leave. But the other squire wasn't done yet. Grabbing her hand, a piece of parchment was placed in her palm, and another look of _danger, warning_ went between them before Gunther headed out of the practice yard.

Jane opened the crumpled up slip, and was instantly met with an image of a flowered plant called Devil's Rose. Reading the notes, a part of a paragraph stood out in vivid detail.

_The plant Devil's Rose is so named for the florid and aesthetic blossom, but when burned it releases a noxious fume that is toxic to most animals if too much is inhaled. It acts as a slow-working venom, dulling the infected one's senses and causing numbness in limbs, fatigue, and eventually death. _

That was all Jane needed to read. The need for a packed lunch, going off somewhere suspicious, then loading her schedule with chores so Dragon could 'mysteriously' vanish. The red-head shot off, first to her room to get her sword, then to the stables, grabbing all the things she would need to saddle one of the horses.

* * *

Yeah, might be a little rushed. Little eeratic lately. Anyway, who liked the bit with the "Shattered demenor of a lost child"? The chapter title kinda ran with that. Anyway, please review! :) Oh, before I forget, who wants to beat up the Merchant? -grabs baseball bat-


	6. Chapter 6: What Do I Mean To You?

Disclaimer: I don't own Jane and the Dragon.

Yeah, sorry about the long wait. Last week in trimester is always like the opening of the gates of hell.

Quote: "I am not afraid to keep on living/ I am not afraid to walk this world alone/ Honey if you stay I'll be forgiven/ Nothing you can say can stop me going home" Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance

* * *

Chapter 6: What Do I Mean To You?

Dragon stirred himself out of what could have been a light doze. It was hard to tell with no light. His melancholy thoughts had not improved in the slightest, and he found his mind straying back to what Rennard had said.

"_Besides, what makes you think she will come for a clumsy, burdening beast like yourself?"_

He wanted Jane to get to knighthood as badly as she desired to herself. But was he the obstacle here, instead of her duties? Would she be better off if he just simply wasn't there?There was also a faint numbness in his limbs that his depressed thoughts had shut out for the time, assuming it to be just the fact that some of the chains were a little too tight. But as it grew and grew, Dragon's energy slid further and further away. If he could see, he would have noticed an odd haze hanging in his vision, like an ominous cloud.

Ackerley was, for the first time during this plot, worried. He hadn't seen the girl for hours, not since she had taken a break from her chores. Had she perhaps gotten wind of what they were up to? Killing a dragon was one thing, it was expected of them, but to kill a girl was something else. Surely Rennard wouldn't go through with what he had told the reptile he would do.

Hopefully it had all been a bluff, but something about Ackerley doubted it. He had known Rennard since they were squires, and the young man had always meant what he said, no matter what. When he had told them that he was going to take care of the fire-breather, he had done it. The girl, however, was a different matter. People would notice and care if she were missing. All the knight could think right now was that if Rennard was to kill her, he would have a good lie for it.

Speaking of said red-head, she had managed to saddle one of the horses and get out of the castle in what she had hoped would be the most discreet manner possible. She had a general area to search, and not a lot of time to do so. From what she had read, Dragon would need her help now. Riding the horse off into the night as silently as she could, Jane made a mental note that the next time she saw Gunther; she would try to thank him, no matter how pride-damaging it was.

Rennard, meanwhile, was merely waiting for the last few preparations to take effect. The dragon's overall lack of movement suggested sleep. And, after a few more sessions of sleep and brief waking, the beast's eyes would close forever. Then they would have to begin taking it apart, for the Merchant's payment. Or, if he wanted, he could get a head start while the monster was alive. Ah, choices, choices…

There was a sudden chinking of chains, and the knight immediately straightened up as he listened for any other signs of movement. Using a covered lantern, he let a faint light be cast around the cavern. From what he could see, the beast was still asleep, but a troubled expression on it's face hinted it was having some kind of a nightmare. Rennard dismissed it in a second, but Dragon was now at the mercy of whatever his fears and mind had in store for him.

_It wasn't the fact that it was dark that was scaring him, it wasn't the fact that it was bitterly cold, heck, it wasn't even the overall creepy setting he was in. The blurred black shapes running between stalactites and the ominous clanking that seemed to come from all around him? More likely that was the issue here. He spun around as another hazy figure darted from somewhere off to his right. Suddenly, metal met scale, and the next thing he knew, there was a large cut on his front-right leg. Dragon's glances became more urgent, and his eyes caught a human-like figure lurking around to his left. But, once his head had turned in that direction, it was gone. _

"_Come out where I can see you!" He called, not able to completely conceal a slight glimmer of fear in his voice. If the shapes were sentient in anyway, they didn't heed his words. Then, one of the shapes darted blatantly from the side, and in a split second Dragon recognized it as one of the human that had been the bane of his existence since he had started coming to the castle. Rennard. Dragon's face contorted into a fierce snarl as he struck with his un-injured front arm, sending the knight flying. _

_To his surprise, the body began to change in free-fall. Brown hair changed to red, and stature became smaller. In fact, it was starting to look like. _

"_J-Jane?" Dragon murmured, torn between disbelief and shock. It wasn't her, right? He had seen it, it was Rennard. But there was no denying what lay on the cave floor now. Dragon approached, and lightly nudged the girl's shoulder with a claw. It was there, he could touch and feel it, it was __**real**__. _

"_What have I done? Jane, wake up! Jane!" The distraught reptile called, unable, unwilling, to believe what he was seeing. His only friend, Jane, dead by his own hand. Tears sprung up quietly as he lightly cradled her body._

_Suddenly, it all vanished, and Dragon was left standing in the darkness. Voices were whispering from all around him._

_**Unfit, unworthy…**_

_**Not good enough for friends…**_

_**A failure…**_

_**Unworthy…**_

"_Dragon!"_

_The fire-breather's ears pricked up, finally detecting a familiar noise among all the murmurs. A light started to grow in front of him, glowing brighter and brighter as it heralded his return to wakefulness._

"Dragon! Can you hear me? Are you alright?" Jane called, feeling around for her friend's face. Her hands touched his horn, then seemed to land somewhere above his eyes. Movement sluggishly rippled through the muscles as the lids slowly opened.

"J-Jane?" Dragon's mouth felt like it he hadn't used it in ages. He felt slow, strangely unfeeling. Was this natural if you were bound to a hard surface for more than a few hours?

"Can you get out?"

There was the sound of clanking as Dragon shifted in his bonds. "No. T-Too tight."

"Don't move. I'll get you out." He couldn't see, and the sensation of touch was oddly dulled. The delusional reptile could just barely feel his friend's hands flitting around the chains. There was something wrong, there was something really wrong. Panic was hard to reach, like even his emotions were sliding away from him.

A loud clank from his right interrupted his thoughts, and made him aware of the fact that his right front paw was now free. Suddenly the sounds of footsteps, far away, but coming closer, started to echo in his hearing.

"Jane…wait, stop…" He murmured, faint panic and apprehension rising in his throat. He distantly felt her hands pause, then her sudden movement to his left, away from the direction of the sounds. A sudden reddish-yellow blur, flooded into his vision, making him exactly aware of how bad things had become. Why couldn't he see properly? What was wrong with him?

"So, what is the beast up to now?" Came the jeering tone from the direction of the blur. Dragon could tell right away that it was Rennard.

"W-What do you want?" Dragon tried to force out in a fierce bark, but the question came out as a weak strain. The knight only seemed to grow bolder as he pressed forward.

"Nothing, other than to remind what I said earlier, regarding your friend."

"Leave her alone."

"I would have if she hadn't come. But I am afraid that there is nothing I can do to avoid this. She has seen too much." A quick snap of the fingers, and Dragon felt Jane being roughly grabbed away from his side.

"But, there is a way that she can live." The knight said menacingly, and Dragon's heart skipped a few beats as he recognized a blur of red, flanked by hazy black and brown. "She finishes you off. If she does, she lives."

Another jab to draconian heart, and the friends were now caught in one of the most dire situations that they could think of being in. But the squire wasn't about to give in yet.

"I won't do it."

"Why? A beast is a beast. You have no use for it. Thus it needs to be put out of it's misery." Rennard's blunt reply stung at Dragon, making his eyes burn, and a lone tear made it's way down his face.

"That isn't true."

Dragon looked at the girl standing in between him and the knight with utter incredulity, and it seemed as though her words had struck a chord. Tears were freely falling, and a touched grin was starting to form on his face.

"Dragon is not a beast, and _he_ is not an _it_. He is my friend." Jane declared firmly, planting her sword stonily in-between herself and the knight. The scene was a striking one, but it did not move the knight standing before them. Rennard's expression turned from impassive to sinister.

"Your friend, hmm? Well, squire, knights and dragons were never meant to get along. You can never be a true knight as long as you have him. In fact, I should put you out of your misery now, _failure_." The knight jeered, waving his sword high over the red-head, and this time, instead of depression and sadness, Dragon felt a wave of roiling anger overwhelm him, momentarily shoving off any thought of his own fatigue and slowness. His freed right paw swung out of nowhere, flinging over Jane and catching Rennard in the stomach, putting out his torch and sending him flying. The other knights had turned tail as soon as they realized that the reptile was freed, leaving them in the company of a comatose knight, and in total darkness once more. There was a long, long silence before either of them spoke.

"J-Jane? Are you alright?" The words dribbled into the air, and the red-head seemed to recall at once that he was there.

"Dragon! I came as soon as I could. But never mind me, are _you_ alright?" Her green eyes couldn't see it, but she knew from the slight panting and slowness from before that the great reptile was anything but fine. "Come on, we need to get you out of here."

Dragon listened as his friend felt her way over to him. Her hands worked at the chains, and slowly but surely, his neck, legs, and chest were unbound. Moving shakily to his feet, and feeling as though the ground were rocking beneath him, Dragon followed the sounds of his friend's footsteps, eager to see some light after all this black.

* * *

Yeah, so please review folks! I love to hear those little bits of your thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7: Falling

Disclaimer: I don't own...ah, heck, you've been through this before. Kinda getting a little monotone.

I'm really, really sorry about the shortness and the possible muddling this chapter gives, and that it isn't very great with the rest of the story [I kinda didn't like it, but didn't really know what else to do with it.]

And for once, I don't have a quote at hand. -_-'

* * *

Chapter 7: Falling

If Dragon had been feeling enough to care, he might have been a little bit disappointed at the fact that it was now night, and the only light that filtered into his glassy eyes was the silvery waver of the moon. He stumbled a little on the way out, and right away tried to rectify his stance. He didn't want Jane to worry. He was going to make it out of this. He had to.

"Dragon, just stay on your feet. I'll get you some help." Jane's words suddenly came in loud and clear, giving the wavering fire-breather a little bit of extra strength. There was one thing he could honestly say for sure about this, it was a lot better than being on his own.

"We'll have to see if we can hide you somewhere. Your cave is too far away, and I don't think-Dragon? Dragon?!" Jane's formulating plan became engulfed in surprise and shock as the fire-breather's legs buckled, and he fell over sideways. Breathing turned to a difficult struggle as panting took the place of natural air intake. From some faraway place, it seemed, he could hear Jane telling him to stay awake, and that she would go and see if she could find someone to help him.

Dragon simply lay there as Jane went to get help. He knew he ought to stay awake, but sleep tugged at his mind, forcing him to draw on already depleted energy reserves. If he closed his eyes now, they might never open again.

Speaking of vision, a red blur swung into the reptile's reeling line of sight, followed by a brownish blur. There was a brief exchange of dialogue, but his ears didn't seem to work right anymore. All he could hear were murmured, indistinct voices. Before he knew it, his friend was at his side, speaking in his ear.

"Dragon? Can you hear me?"

Panic appeared to radiate off her voice in waves, making guilt a vaguely apparent emotion. Dragon gave what felt like a weak nod, trying to listen intently for her next instructions.

"Can you stand?"

Now there was something he hadn't hoped to do for a while. Dragon managed another weak nod before rolling onto his stomach. From there, it took a few tries for him to get to his feet, and stay upright. Swaying was an inevitable occurrence though, and Dragon found it very difficult to keep a firm set of paws on the ground.

"Alright, follow me, Dragon. Just follow me." Came Jane's voice again. He lurched off in the direction of the red blur, and after what felt like a few miles of near slips and falls, he walked through what seemed to be a large wooden door. Jane led him over to a softer section of the floor, probably hay. The reptile collapsed on it, strength now almost gone. Frantic voices were vaguely noted, but at the moment, his attention was more focused on staying awake, all his energy being put into the task. A sudden feeling of a pair of hands forcing his jaws open was registered. Confusion lightly grappled with Dragon's mind. Why were they opening his mouth-?

If he had been slightly more aware of what was going on, he would have been half-way across the room by the time he had so much as felt the liquid in his mouth. But considering that he was only a tenth of the way aware of his surroundings, and with even less energy, he was utterly unprepared for the extremely bitter medicine that had just been forced into his mouth.

Dragon instantly made to spit out the offending substance, but a pair of arms held his jaws together, keeping the disgustingly acrid mixture. Another set went for his throat, rubbing it so he would swallow. It worked, and down went the medicine. The reptile gave a convulsive shudder, suppressing the greatly-desired urge to throw up.

Suddenly, the second pair of hands, Jane's, he could tell, were quietly caressing the fire-breather's head, and he could only just hear her voice, telling him everything was going to be alright and not to worry, just get better.

He wasn't sure exactly when, but sometime during the night, he dropped off into a blank slumber.

* * *

So, yeah, like I said, I am very, very sorry! The next one will be longer, I promise!

Until next time ;)!


	8. Chapter 8: Recovery and False Diplomacy

Disclaimer: Don't own Jane and the Dragon and never freaking will.

Yeah, kinda thought I should make it up to you guys by giving you something a little longer. As a thanks for all those wonderful reviews. ^^

Quote: "And now I tell you openly/ You have my heart so don't hurt me/ You're what I couldn't find" ~The song Dreams by the Cranberries.

And, just so you know, you might hate the knights a bit more by the time this is done.

* * *

Chapter 8: Recovery and False Diplomacy

Birds were chirping as Dragon began the ascent from a deep sleep. From what he could tell, he was alone. He opened his eyes a bit, and right away had to shut them. It was just too bright; someone had left the barn door open. From the momentary glimpse he had received, the barn he was in was like a barn in almost every respect except for the fact that instead of crawling with animals, the place was crawling with plants. There were even a few hanging boxes and extra tables set up to accommodate all the foliage.

After a few tries, the reptile found that he was able to open his eyes without much of an issue. The first, slightly unsettling thing was that there was almost no feeling in his body, kind of like the numbness that comes with anesthesia. Only this numbness was practically preventing any good movement whatsoever without sending a wave of tiny pinpricks up his spine. And, now that he had spotted a familiar flare of red near his head, it was actually better that he had not moved. The light bit of motion earlier seemed to have done the trick, however, and the red-head gave a quiet mumble as she came slowly back to wakefulness.

"Mm? Dragon-?"

"Morning shortlife." The somewhat dozy fire-breather greeted, but the light-hearted grin vanished somewhat once he caught the utterly relieved and very, very stricken look on his friend's face. "Jane, are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Are you alright?" Her expression went to a much more relaxed setting once she noted that the reptile wasn't about to fall irrevocably asleep on her anytime soon.

"Little numb, actually." Dragon dutifully answered, once again attempting to move his front-right forearm, but the tingling, slight heaviness, and overall unfeeling part of it made it feel, weird. It was like it wasn't even a part of him. Jane meanwhile had gone to lightly fussing over the reptile, but a nagging memory of the night before came back, and Dragon found himself looking at his surroundings a little closer. There had been two pairs of hands, two blurs, thus two people. And if Jane was here, then where was the second person?

A sudden rustle from off to the side brought his attention to a shortlife that he hadn't really noticed before, probably due to the fact that his overall appearance blended into the foliage. It was a scruffy-looking old man with a large brown apron, a few of the pockets appearing to house a few of the flora. He even smelled like plants, as Dragon noted to himself. Noticing that her friend had seen the second helper, Jane decided that introductions were in order.

"Dragon, this is Atwood, the local apothecary."

"Ne'er le' a dragon stay 'ere befer, bu' since ye can' really move anywa'…" The man shrugged lightly, but overall disposition said that the reptile was perfectly welcome to stay.

"We thank you for your help." Jane said, gratitude evident in her voice, Dragon moving his head a little in what could have been a nod. Then their attention was diverted by the fact that a small pot on a small, stone grill-like stove off to the side was starting to froth. Atwood went to remove the metal, during which Dragon's insatiable inquisitiveness finally got the better of him.

"Is an apothecary like a gardener? Is that why there are so many plants in here?" Dragon asked, eyeing the surroundings again with curiosity as the multitudes of questions invaded his mind. Jane let a grin slid onto her face as she answered; it was good to know that the reptile was acting more like his old self already.

* * *

Rennard walked through the halls of the knights quarters, silently fuming to himself. The girl and dragon had actually managed to get away from him. _Him!_

He would fix them soon, he would make sure that hell-sent beast was properly dead this time, and not only two-thirds of the way there. And if the girl got in his way, she would die too. Simple as that.

His temple pounded under a viscous bruise, the mark that had come from when Dragon struck him. He'd make sure the monster paid for that in full. The next thing to do was to get some backing, and he knew just how to do it.

* * *

Jane looked at her friend as he snored quietly, blissfully unaware of the rest of the world. He had been given another dose of the thick molasses-like medicine, despite his intense complaining about exactly how bitter it had been. Soon after that, he had quietly fallen asleep again, probably something in the mix, or his own recovery. The squire had often been told by her mother the importance of sleep, mostly when she had been sick and wanted to go out in spite of the malady.

Suddenly, the reptile let out the loudest of yelps as Jane's hand came in contact with his scaly skin. Within seconds, he had pushed back to the far end, instinct taking control as he made every effort to get away from whatever had quite violently woken him up. As he was moving, his tail happened to lightly bump against a set of clay pots. What should have been a small sense of pressure was a blistering stab, and Dragon's new reaction was to curl up until he was nothing more than a panting, badly-spooked mass that was partially obscured by the hay.

"Dragon? Are you hurt? What happened?"

"W-What was that?"

Jane blinked in partial surprise and realization, then looked at her hand. Dragon peered out, looking warily around at the barn as though he were expecting to see some vicious nightmare leap out from one of the shelves.

"Don' worry. E'eryting's alrigh'."

Both confused friends looked to a set of plant boxes on the right to see Atwood, a few greenish-brown bulbs in his hands as he made to place them into one of his cavernous pockets.

"Th' Devil's Rose w's th' plan' tha' w's used by th' knigh's 'as th' abili'y ter dull th' sense o' touch. Th's is one o' th' few ways ter cure it, bu' th' return o' touch is a lill'e rough."

"I can see that." Dragon replied, heart-rate finally coming back to a more manageable level, and right away he felt…tired. Even though he had moved only a few feet, it had felt like a mile. After a few minutes, his eyes closed as he drifted into another doze, his friend watching like a guardian angel from the edge of the hay pile.

* * *

Ackerley waited as Rennard had his audience with the king in the throne room, presumably to tell what had gone on that night, and why one of their squires was missing. Of course, there was going to be a different version of the truth involved. It had to be, lest their own goals be destroyed, along with their reputations. The traitorous knight looked up just in time to see the brown-haired male leave the throne room, just barely hiding the smirk that started to play across his lips. Within seconds, Ackerley had caught up to his fellow knight.

"How did it go?" He asked, and was partially relieved by the knight's next words.

"Beautifully. They believed every word. I won't say exactly what the lie was; you shall find it out eventually. I can promise it will be the undoing of that beast, and maybe even the wrenched squire."

* * *

There was one thing to be said for recoveries, they weren't very much fun. Over the next few hours, Dragon had felt everything from freezing to very hot, and even like there were things either brushing up against him or sharply poking him. He tried to keep most of these at the status of a mild problem, mostly to help alleviate some of Jane's worries; he had given her a nasty scare when he had jumped away like that. At the moment, he was shaking from a wave of cold, which quickly dissolved into an uncomfortable blanket of heat.

"More water?" Jane asked once she noticed that the shivering had ceased, and the reptile had begun to take in air as if he had suddenly been placed in the Sahara Desert.

"Yes." He quickly forced out, and to his surprise, he had a small bucket filled with the wet and cool salvation being poured down his throat within the span of three minutes.

"Thank you." Dragon said appreciatively, before experimentally trying to raise his right foreleg again. Unfortunately, there wasn't all that much of a change since he last tried, and the result was pretty much the same; the shaky limb came back down with a muffled thump after about four seconds.

"Dragon, you shouldn't be doing that." Jane admonished, suddenly taking on the role of the voice of beneficial health. Atwood had already warned them of the dangers of moving around too soon. If the fire-breather wasn't careful, there could be serious damage later on.

"But I want to move." The somewhat jaded reptile answered. The sleeping had gotten fewer and further between, and now boredom had started to settle in where tiredness had once occupied. And when Dragon was bored, you could guarantee that something impulsive would happen.

The sudden sound of horses outside drew the friends' attention to the door, and familiar voices instantly made their blood freeze.

"Apothecary! Come out!"

"That's Rennard." Jane whispered.

"What is he doing here?" Dragon hissed, utmost venom present in his voice. Atwood motioned for them to be quiet as he headed for the door.

"Ima comin'! Ima comin'!" The elderly man bellowed as he opened the door and headed out to the intruding knights. There was a brief pause of activity as the knights seemed to spot the old man arriving on the scene.

"Apothecary, have you seen a large beast, a dragon, in these parts?"

"Can' say I 'ave."

"Well, if you happen to, raise the alarm. It attacked the knights and has ended the life of one of the castle's squires. Once we catch it, it dies."

With those chilling words hanging in the air, the horses were led away by their riders once more, leaving the two friends in a stunned silence.

* * *

Yep, told you that you wouldn't like them any more by the time this is over.

And as a small explanation to what was going on, because I don't think the Medivial Era really knew about nerves.

The Devil's Rose will smother most of the senses, especially touch, giving off the side-effect of numbness[It also drains the stamina and can slightly deteriorate the muscles, which accounts for the fatigue and inability to really move]. What Dragon was experiencing was the nerves trying to come back 'online', in a sense, by overreacting to sensations or getting jumbled and messed up signals. So, yeah, the fact that he is getting those is actually good. If he wasn't there would be several very big problems with his nervous system.

Now that that's out of the way, please review!


	9. Chapter 9: Sneaking In and Confessions

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon

I'm sorry guys! School, exams, and pretty much everything under the sun has put me on hiatus, but I'm back now, and hopefully to stay.

"I will be around, when you think its over. I won't let you down, when your luck runs out. When it feels like life is holding you down, whenever you need me, I will be around."~I will be Around, by Nick Whitaker.

* * *

Chapter 9: Sneaking In and Confessions

Atwood had promised them that he had told the knights nothing of the two stowing away in his barn, but he had also said that there would probably not be very much time for them to stay, now that the King's Guard themselves were looking for them. He had also privately mentioned to Jane that Dragon's physical state was improving, but he would still need at least another day and a half before he could go out on any flights, or even long walks. The reptile in question was mostly vexed by the fact that now the knights were saying he had simply attacked them and killed Jane. It brought the vivid images of his nightmare while in the cave back into his head.

Jane, meanwhile, was trying to figure a way out of this situation that did not involve either of them dying for real. It took a long period of deep thinking, and reviewing exactly what the knights had said. This, of course, was periodically interrupted by the fact that the knights had control over most of the castle, and any attempt to return back could easily turn into a trap.

From what she had heard, the rest of the castle thought she was dead, so maybe there would be some leverage if she were to reach someone that was not involved in the plot. The only question was who.

* * *

It had certainly been an eventful day in the castle. From seeing that the knights had been attacked to hearing about the loss of one of the squires, most of the staff was in shambles. While Jane's friends and her parents lamented the supposed 'death', Rennard approached Sir Theodore with the proposition of doubling the guard for night-watch that night. The reason that there was the threat of a fire-breathing rogue dragon on the loose had to be good enough persuasion.

The older knight looked more or less impassive as Rennard put forth his proposition, but the minute the younger man put forth his reason for the need of more guard that night, a flicker of deep loss crossed Sir Theodore's face before he answered unemotionally back.

"Yes, it shall be granted. See to it that the centuries are doubled."

Another secure hold. Now all Rennard would have to do was to wait until the girl or the beast made their move, and when they did, he would strike back. And, if his assumptions were correct, the girl would be doing something to counter his plan tonight, if not tomorrow.

He would have been right.

* * *

It was nightfall when the first part of Jane's plan went into action. The red-head shifted lightly from her position against Dragon's left foreleg, giving it a few calming pats before getting quietly to her feet. Grabbing a cloak that had been left [probably on purpose] by Atwood, she wrapped it around herself, making sure her flaming-red hair was well covered. In this case, secrecy would be her biggest advantage, tool, and guard.

Jane looked back at the slumbering Dragon, noting that there was a faint smile playing on his face.

_Probably dreaming about cows._ [She had found out about his odd fetish for them a few days after she had met him.] She thought, allowing the faint ghost of a grin to cross her countenance as she lightly pushed open the door, the hinges making the faintest of creaks. As soon as she was sure the sound would not wake the fire-breather [must take the unusually good hearing into account], she stepped through the door, out into the night. This was the one part of the way where he could not follow. She hadn't told him she was leaving, because she didn't want him to worry or try to further deteriorate his condition by coming along. He was supposed to stay still, and that was what she was going to allow him to do. She didn't want him to overwork himself for her sake.

* * *

"Tell me, why must we patrol the walls? The beast will be weak from the poison, if not dead." Barden asked a very irritated Ackerley as the two hung near the gates, walking along the top path on the walls with swords in hand. Barden, of course, saw no threat from the two 'fugitives' that were sure to come by the castle, if not tonight, then by tomorrow.

"We must not underestimate the girl. She is…something to be dealt with carefully."

"A girl, barely a squire, and you are worried that she will be the one to destroy our plans?"

"Not so loud!" The fellow knight hissed as he looked about for any eavesdroppers. When he was sure that no one unwanted was listening in, he leaned menacingly in to the younger knight's face.

"Listen, Barden, and listen well. They were strong enough to get free from our trap, and get away from our eyes. That alone merits them as dangerous, and until they are within our grasp, they are a very risky factor. That is why this is all the more necessary to make sure they do not come and reveal our plot. And, if what Rennard guesses comes to be, we may yet be able to rid ourselves of that beast."

* * *

There was something very unsettling going on, that Dragon was sure of. For one, he could now feel touch/pressure in a dulled sense, and right away he realized that Jane was not where she had been when he had fallen asleep. And the fact that she was nowhere in sight also was jarring him out of his comfort zone. Atwood seemed to have taken a temporary leave of the premises as well, leaving the reptile in the company of his thoughts. This scenario could be decidedly bad, considering that one thing Dragon's mind kept straying back to was _What is going on?_.

There was a light clatter as the door was pushed open, revealing a slightly muddled Atwood, with a large clay pot in his hands.

"Po'ion w'll ne'er hea' th' way ye wan' them ter…" He was muttering, not quite noticing Dragon for the moment. Not like the uneasy fire-breather was about to let it stay that way for much longer.

"Say, apothe- apo-, er, Atwood, do you happen to know where my friend Jane is?"

None of his fears were alleviated when he caught the uneasy look the crinkled face gave him.

"Sh' wen' ou' ter th' cas'le."

Dragon's heart stopped once those words escaped on the air, and for once he desperately wished that his hearing was impaired again.

"W-What? She left for the _castle_?!" His voice reached a hysteric pitch as he took in what the old man had just divulged. "B-but the other knights are there! _Rennard_ will be there!! How does she expect to get past him?!"

"Sh' say tha' they ain't lookin' fer 'er, so sh' 'ave a better chance'f getting' in an' tellin' 'er ment'r." Atwood explained as best he could, backing up a few paces just to be safe. His statement had been meant to alleviate the reptile's worries but he, if anything, looked even more frantic.

"Her mentor?! Old Rusty Legs isn't going to be able to do a thing about the other knights!!" His tirade was immediately cut off when he tried to stand, but his limbs were still too weak to support his weight. The reptile came back down with a scratchy thud on the hay, mind in a worried mess.

_Jane, what have you done?!_

* * *

The young squire, meanwhile, was sneaking back into Kippernia Castle, preferably through a way that would not bring her too far into the knight's quarters. Getting in through the front gates had been easy; there had been no century out just yet. This must have been in between shifts. The next part, and assuredly the hardest, was to get to Sir Theodore's study without meeting up with any of the other knights. If she did…well, she didn't want to think about that just yet.

Her crafty sneaking brought her over to the stables, where there was thankfully no one in sight. Smithy had to be busy in his forge. It wasn't that she didn't want to see her friends, she just knew that it would be easier if no one knew she was here, other than the person she was about to drop in on. Noting the fact that the door at the end of the stables was slightly ajar, Jane moved off to the right, where she knew there was a way up into the floor above. From there, it was a straight shot upstairs. The concealed red-head slipped quietly up the stairs to the next level, looking around before so much as putting a toe on the wooden floor.

She remembered the location of her mentor's part of the knight's quarters, and moved toward the supposed direction with absolute stealth. From what she could tell, there was barely anyone here.

A sudden snort from somewhere off to her right told her otherwise. Whirling around, she caught sight of a familiar portly knight laying on in a small space in the cornerish section of the room, cradling what looked like a small flail, the ball lying at a careful distance away.

Jane let out the breath she had been holding in, now turning her eyes to the door at the end of the hall.

* * *

Sir Theodore, Captain of the King's Guard, was surprisingly unoccupied as he sat at his desk. If you looked more closely, however, his eyes told a different story. They were enclosed in sadness, and regret. Regret that he had never seen Dragon for what he was. Regret that he had never seen this tragedy coming. And a deeper lament, buried under eons and eons of clashing with claw and steel.

His hands flitted around the pieces of parchment, the quills, but in the end they found nothing to really stick to in order to stave off these emotions. Suddenly, a soft knock was heard on the door.

"Come in."

If the old knight had been prepared for anything, it was certainly not the overly-familiar head of red hair that came peeking around the doorframe, the green eyes that scanned the room just to be sure her mentor was alone. From there she came in and quietly closed the door behind her. Before the old knight could even begin speaking, Jane's mouth opened as a hail of words and what she hoped was a good phrasing of the explanation of exactly why she was here when the other knights had quite bluntly said that she was dead and that Dragon had killed her.

"…and they will not stop at anything to be rid of him, Sir. They have already tried to do it once, and they will surely try it again."

The squire carefully studied her mentors face as she wrapped up her explanation, but could not make out anymore than one emotion per second, varying from surprise and disbelief to authority and austereness. Jane watched with bated breath as she attempted to determine which side her mentor was leaning to.

* * *

Sorry if the end feels slapped together, I had written out most of this beforehand, and then had to pull off. Either way, if you want to call me out on anything, don't hesitate. Reviews are also appreciated. Until next time.


	10. Chapter 10: Protection

Disclaimer: I don't own Jane and the Dragon.

Yeah, I don't really have all that much to say other than life has it's ups and downs, and right now mine's on a roller coaster with loop-de-loops. T_T.

* * *

Chapter 10: Protection

It was silent in the barn later that night, and it appeared as though Atwood had not needed to keep watch; Dragon had taken the medicine and gone to sleep without much complaint. But, if you watched for more than a minute, you would see one golden eye flicker open to stealthy check his surroundings before quickly closing.

Once he was sure this time of his solitude, Dragon allowed his eyes to fully open, looking around at the many shelves for a moment. Now came the tougher part; getting up.

The first time was somewhat of a flop, he fell about half-way through standing, but Dragon's obstinate sense of protection [which was now ringing like an alarm bell in his head] refused to let him give up. He had to try again.

The reptile, ignoring everything from the heaviness to the pins-and-needles that ran up his spine, pushed hard on the ground, every ounce of newly-regained energy being put into the task. Once he was sure that his legs wouldn't collapse underneath him, he forced himself into a forward lurch, pushing open the barn door with his head as he plowed on. Right away, his mind processed the fact that by where he was, it would take ages to reach the castle on foot. He would have to fly. His wings unfurled, shaky, but still willing to follow their master's wishes. From there, it was an abrupt but surprisingly easy trip to the air. But the problem was mostly staying up.

Ignoring the waves of burning aching that rolled through the unused muscle, Dragon focused solely on what he had to do. He had to find Jane; he had to figure out what exactly was going on. And it would be over his cold, lifeless corpse if anyone tried to harm _his_ best friend.

* * *

"Jane, you do realize that to contradict the testimony of another knight would put your own honesty in question?"

"Yes sir, but this is a matter of Dragon's safety, and it is not a duty that I will shy away from." The squire replied solemnly. Sir Theodore seemed to study her for a moment, as though searching for any possible weakness in her story. But all he could see was determination and truthfulness that no such jest or lie could possible hide in.

"Alright, Jane, I will try to-."

But whatever he was going to attempt, it didn't quite get out into the air, for a loud knock on the door interrupted his thought. The two looked to the door, and almost instantly an unpleasantly familiar voice was heard from behind the wood.

"Sir Theodore! Can I have a word?"

The all-too-familiar voice of Rennard, the head and main conspirator in this mess. Jane immediately realized that utter chaos would ensure if she stayed out in the open a minute longer. Finding sanctuary in an old chest that seemed to fill up one corner of the room, the squire darted into it, the lid opened a crack so she could somewhat see what was going on.

Her camouflage could not have been more timely. As soon as the lid came to a halt, inches from the edge of the wooden frame, the door was pushed wide open, to reveal the very shady-looking figure of Rennard, standing there in the same manner as a lingering nightmare.

"Do you require something, Sir Rennard?" The older knight asked, keeping every bit of his now growing hostility of the other male.

Thankfully, the other knight did not seem to think that anything was out of order, and also didn't appear to notice the fact that the trunk off to the side was partially open.

"Nothing at the moment, sir, but I would like to inform you that we have a new lead on the whereabouts of the beast, at least. The girl we have not yet located directly, but she cannot be too far away."

Jane's huddled form in the trunk stiffened. _They knew where Dragon was?_

"You see, a few moments ago, a peasant came to us with some very interesting news apparently, he had _seen_ the beast, alive. We will be going out to properly dispose of it shortly."

And then he was gone, leaving his words hanging ominously in the air.

* * *

The darkening evening scene was shattered when a large green shape barreled out of the sky, crashing into a patch of underground with a greatly undermined grunt. The squirrels, rabbits, and even one very shell-shocked fox ran for the hills, even though it was very clear that the living projectile was not about to get up.

Dragon was not in the mood for giving in to his quickly failing stamina, and of course tried again.

"Come…_on!_" Came the hissed growl, limbs trembling with the effort of simply staying standing.

_A liability…_

Keep going.

_A burdening beast…_

Don't you _dare_ give up.

_Unfit, unworthy, nothing but a failure…_

She needed him there. He had to go…she…

But the strain was too much on his sickness-ravaged body, and with a few feeble motions, his eyes closed, breathing slowing down to the point of blissful sleep.

Or what was hoped to be blissful sleep.

* * *

Jane ran down the stairs, cursing herself mentally as she recounted exactly what had been said in the last few minutes. They knew where Dragon was? How? And when did they acquire this knowledge? [Dragon didn't make some kind of a disturbance, did he?]

Her soft footsteps suddenly seemed increasingly loud in the quiet. Jane stopped and checked around for anyone coming or anyone possibly noticing her presence.

So far, so good.

It had taken her a few minutes to pull herself out of the cramped confines of the chest, a minute to say in one breath where she was going, and a half a second for Sir Theodore to give her leave, which she eagerly took. The old knight seemed to realize the strong friendship, and gave it it's proper boundaries.

As for now, she seemed to become a stealthy red-haired bullet as she moved about the halls, fixed on one thing that loomed in her mind.

Her friend, and his safety.

* * *

To quote Bugs Bunny, 'Ain't I a stinker?' With these cliffhangers?......., ., -_-'.. and now that I feel like an idiot, please review....


	11. Chapter 11: Boxed In

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon.

Okay, I'm really really _really_ sorry about the long hiatus. First came a crazy summer, then my inspiration took off, then the craziest year of high school started and I had no time to go look for it. -_-'. Anyhow, finally dug back into the episodes and got back on the ball for this project. Yeah, not much of an excuse....Enjoy the long-worked on chapter!

* * *

Chapter 11: Boxed In

_Darkness pressed in on him from every side of this frightening place. As far as he could tell, he was utterly and completely alone, but it was unnerving. There had to be someone out there, there just had to be. _

_He tried to move, but even though he felt what seemed to be a ground, he couldn't tell if he was even going anywhere. He called out to the black on all sides, for someone to answer and prove him within at least one other's company. _

_His yell, however, seemed to have more of an impact on the dark world around him then moving did. As soon as the sound reached out to the empty space, the blackness became alive with the sounds of unseen things chattering in the gloom, and the darkness suddenly shifted apart into moving gray shapes. The world that had seemed so dark and so foreboding was suddenly menacing with shadowy figures and many upon many of ominous feels in the hazed air. What seemed to further a case of hyperventilating was the fact that most of these silhouetted shapes appeared to be attempting to focus on moving toward where he couldn't see them, like at his back. One thing was for sure, there were no friends here._

_It made him nervous…and forlorn, as though there were something about this observation that held a certain meaning to him. _

_Then something changed, abruptly. The chattering stopped, the shapes dissolved back into the darkness, and he was alone again. The darkness, the isolation pushed at him from all around, closing in around him like water. He was drowning in it, and the shapes pushed at him, further punishing him in this secluded hell hole. _

_And the worst part of it was…no one cared…_

* * *

But then there was light streaming in, forcing him to open his eyes. He was still lying on relieving warm ground, and the sunshine had gone to that deep gold that usually comes from a sunset…

Something about that thought stirred in his groggy mind…._sunset…_

All at once it came back, him leaving the barn, flying as far as he could before finally crashing, and the fact that Jane had left for the castle, where all their enemies were.

The last part alone was enough for him to resume his efforts to get to his feet. Surprisingly, it was easier than it had been last time, although the burning from the muscles, as though they had been unused for longer than a couple days, lingered.

He would not give up. He would get there, he would make sure no harm came to her. Not his friend.

* * *

The knight's quarters had probably seen stranger things, but the fact that there was a squire sneaking through it's halls that was supposedly dead was a definite oddity.

Jane, in the meantime, was doing her best to stay out of wind of the other knights. As she went back the way she came, her ears and eyes were on full alert for any others coming her way. Surprisingly, she met no trouble, which in itself was an object of worry. Surely she would have at least seen one of the other knights by now…

But at the moment, all she could do was keep moving and be thankful for her luck, although something told her it was going to turn bad. She had considered the fact that it may have been a ruse, but she wasn't going to be able to get to the other gate. It would force her to go past the practice yard and the kitchen, not to mention the garden. Something told her it wouldn't be a good idea to gather attention right now.

Slipping into the stables, Jane gave the place a good long look, and seeing nothing moving that wasn't a horse, she stepped quietly out into the open. But before she could slide out the slightly ajar door, her arm bumped against a stirrup, making it clank noisily against the wall. The racket uneased a few of the horses, which neighed in response. Before anyone could show up to investigate the din, Jane slid through the door, into the yard, and dashed over to the space in which carts sometimes unloaded, taking refuge behind a set of barrels. Her eyes swooped several times over the gates, attempting to discern something _anything_ that would explain this unnatural quiet. It just did not seem right that no one would be around, even at sunset.

However, there was no one at, or near the gate, as far as she could tell. The sun cast long shadows on the ground, and the occasional sound of the birds, small mammals, and the neighing of the horses in the stables behind her. Another oddity, usually there was at least a century. But no one was there, and as she darted out to the gate, the atmosphere remained silent.

* * *

The sun sank lower in the sky as Rennard watched from his vantage point. The last and hopefully final plan was well-underway. The squire had been so easy to predict. And once she was gone, they could move on to their bigger prize. The loathsome beast would be next. With the finances they had secured, a proper lance would be no problem. And, with any luck, they would get an ideal opportunity.

The knight's plans were briefly put off by the slight sound of feet scuffling on stone, and his eyes landed on the faint shadow of a very familiar squire attempting to make her way through the castle gate unnoticed, even with her disguise, he could still discern her by the few wisps of red that he could see hanging from under her hood. She was going at a halting pace, obviously deeply suspicious of the lack of activity. Of course she would, she would not be worth considering an obstacle if she weren't.

He waited until she was at the end of the gate, about to break down the path that led to a more secluded way, around the village instead of through, before sending a signal to Barden, who was similarly hidden behind a thicket.

Time to end this.

From there, the sign went through the concealed ranks of six knights, all scattered along the bushes and trees near the road. Once it reached the last two, John and Richard, they stepped out of their places, a good ways ahead of Jane. Moving towards her on the path, Rennard noticed with a smirk how the cloaked figure stiffened, how her steps faltered, before she attempted to put on the façade of impassiveness. But this ruse would not be enough to fool him, not by a long shot. In pairs, the knights left their places, and moved shadow-like to box the squire in. Rennard, coming up from behind, saw her hand reach toward her sword.

"Do not even think about it."

* * *

Probably have no rights to ask, but I've been hearing mixed things about whether or not there will be a new season of Jane and the Dragon. It's been everything from 'no new episodes', to 'we have a season waiting, but it's not coming out yet'. Can anyone give me any clarification on this?

Until next time.


	12. Chapter 12: Standing Up

Disclaimer: I don't own Jane and the Dragon, I'm only borrowing them for this fic.

Yeah, I probably can't apologize enough. So, before the holidays come and everything gets insanely busy, I'm going to finish this. Think of it as a Holiday gift.

"I'd like to make myself believe/ that planet Earth turns slowly/ It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep/ Cause everything is never as it seems"~Fireflies, By Owl City

* * *

Chapter 12: Standing Up

At the words of Rennard, that calm and controlled hiss, Jane's temper flared up again. They had attempted to poison Dragon while she was occupied, and now they would not cease hunting him even after he just survived their last attempt!

"Why can you not leave him be?"

"His kind is not welcome among us. We can never coexist. Why do you think there was such a profitable business in dragonslaying?" He paused, amused at the irate flush that mounted in the squire's face, almost matching pitch with her flaming hair. "They are beasts, we are the knights. That dragon can never be seen as good. There is only one thing to do with a monster such as it."

A dangerous silence hung on the air.

"And, squire, if you insist on protecting it, then you are our enemy."

Jane drew her sword, but from some inner part of her brain screamed that this would ultimately be useless. There were too many, and they were all knights. Trained ones at that. This was hopeless from the beginning.

Suddenly, a louder than loud bellow echoed over the scene, ringing out akin to an enormous gong.

"_**LEAVE HER ALOOOOONNEE!!"**_

Everyone's eyes turned skyward as a green blur came down for a thunderous landing on the ground between the knights and Jane, sluggishly taking a protective stand.

The offending 'protectors of the realm' were instantly met with a very enraged Dragon, who was more than ready to take them on, not even feeling the dull twinge that ran through the healing muscle.

He was more than ready to fight.

Jane's initial reaction had been shock. Firstly, how had he gotten here? Secondly, what did he think he was doing?

There was barely any time to analyze the situation, unfortunately, for Barden had decided that he'd had enough of Dragon causing problems, and had darted straight at the reptile's flank, hoping to get a wounding shot in before the battle really got underway. Dragon did not seem ready to wait. Turning, the strike caromed off his 'arm', and he pushed the knight back with a force that was feeble to him, but certainly not to the knight that had just been knocked silly.

Jane seemed to snap into the fight with a vengeance, sword parrying Ackerley's, who had been trying to sneak up on Dragon's unguarded back. She then had to quickly move out of range of the lizard's tail, which swung in a whip-like arc as he turned to confront James. The knight really hadn't been prepared for the beast, and found himself staring up at a paw that just simply knocked him off his feet like a tripwire.

Dragon was about to turn to Barden, who looked like a ghost under a mop of black hair as he feebly brandished a sword, when a quick realization dawned on the reptile. There was another fight going on off to the side. Jane and Rennard were locked in their own combat, and even though Jane did have a very good mettle when it came to sword-fighting, the knight had the advantage of size and experience. And there was the one called John, coming up behind. Dragon whirled over, accidentally clipping Barden with his tail as he turned, and knocked the young man to the side before a sudden poking feeling at his back right leg forced him to turn around again. Ackerley had been trying to get the advantage of surprise while the reptile had been preoccupied, but instead all he had managed to get was his attention. A quick swipe with the claws, not even to the point where there'd be any lasting damage, but the blow still sent the knight back to the ground.

Dragon turned back to the fight between Jane and Rennard, and about had a heart attack on the spot as he saw the larger human kick out at Jane's legs, knocking the squire to the ground. Time seemed to slow down for the reptile as the knight's sword came down to deliver the final blow, a leering grin on his face-

The knight suddenly found himself lifted up by the leg as he instantly found himself face to face with a very, very angry Dragon that looked as though he were about to put him through all nine circles of hell.

"Leave. Jane. _Alone_." Three singular words, supplemented by a very menacing growl, were more than enough for the shifty knight. Rennard's eyes rolled back into his head as he quietly passed out in the reptile's hold. Dragon stared blankly at him before depositing him unceremoniously onto the ground.

Now that the battle was over, it seemed as though the adrenaline from before had deserted Dragon, and the panting fire-breather now faced a very panicked-looking Jane.

"Dragon, what are you doing here?"

"Not leaving me behind like that…Not this dragon." A few more deep breaths went into his lungs before he managed to get another couple words out. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, but what about you? Aren't you supposed to be staying still?" Jane's tone was steadily rising to stricken, and now Dragon was starting to notice an almost burning feeling rise through his muscles, like he had flown, run, and done ever kind of exercise imaginable and repeated the process several times. He wasn't entirely sure if this was bad or good, but what mattered to him right now was that his friend was safe.

The air was suddenly rent with the yells of the castle staff, peasants, among other people. The commotion must have drawn quite a bit of attention.

"Climb on…I can get us both out of here." Dragon suggested in between gulps for air, wings shakily rising as they prepared for a take-off.

"No, we have to make this right. We cannot just leave. And I will not let you strain yourself anymore." Jane refused, arms crossed sternly. Dragon's expression too turned austere.

"I will carry you if I have to."

"We need to fix this now." The squire replied, finality outweighing any uncertainty in her voice as she gave him a look not unlike the one a mother would use to scold a child. Dragon was only able to keep eye contact for a few moments before looking down, a sigh of defeat floating out on the wind.

"If they try to hurt you…" The mutter was more meant for himself, but Jane had heard it too, and knew full well what would happen if Dragon did start to fight. They would attempt to kill him, most likely succeed, especially with him in this state, and that was something that she couldn't let happen. Not on her watch.

And, as though on cue, a band of the castle staff and a few peasants came around into the clearing, stopping as they viewed the knights, sprawled on the ground. Becoming incensed again as they clapped eyes on Dragon, still wheezing off to the side of the clearing. Now she had to act. The incensed noise of rising voices began to fill the air, and makeshift weapons were raised as things once again began to barrel wildly out of control.

"Wait!"

There was a pause, during which Jane jogged a few paces forward, planting herself firmly between them and her friend.

"Hear us out. None of what has occurred was Dragon's fault. The knights were the ones that plotted this, all for a mutual revenge. They at first planned to drug him with a plant that would kill him, but when their plot was discovered. They attempted to kill us both."

Jane tensed as she tried to read their faces, at least see where this was going to go. However, all possible assumptions were thrown helter-skelter when Sir Theodore arrived on a stormy grey mount. The elder knight looked around at the whole scene before turning to Rennard, who was steadily regaining consciousness.

"Sir Rennard, come back to the castle immediately. We will discuss this later." He said into the silence in a thunderous voice. The after mentioned knight glared in the direction of the Captain before looking to the groups of peasants. Escape was a risky option.

Submitting, the knight bowed his head with a stream of inaudible curses.

Jane watched as Ivan and Gunther arrived shortly after, taking the knights both conscious and unconscious. They were all alive, just out cold. She too assisted, and as she was helping Gunther heft Barden up onto Ivan's horse when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning, she saw a very familiar shabby countenance, with a jar in his hand.

"Beas'ie will nee' this. Th' las' dose."

Jane accepted the jam-jar sized pot with a hail of thanks, and rush of gratitude for the scruffy apothecary.

Suddenly, a very startling thought broke upon the squire. Where exactly _was_ Dragon? The green reptile was nowhere in sight. She had definitely seen him when she had managed to get through to the peasants, then he had vanished somewhere.

This bit of new information was enough to throw her into another panic; where was he? Jane darted to the pathway over the gate out of the castle, and scanned the greenery below. But considering that the friend she was looking for could also blend in with the vegetation very well if he wanted to, it wasn't easy. Her eyes seemed to be determined to play tricks on her, and almost every patch of brush looked as if there were something out of the ordinary lurking in it.

But, after a half-an-hour of calling and looking, it was clear that the fire-breather was nowhere to be found.

* * *

So yeah, reviews, comments, critiques. You can even flame me for leaving you hanging for about a month. Either way.

Blackmoondragon out.


	13. Chapter 13: Such As It Ends

Disclaimer: I can wish all I want, but I don't own them. If I did, we would have more episodes.

* * *

Chapter 13: Such As It Ends

He was…gone.

Jane sat down on her bed, pressing her head into her hands as she tried to come up with one other possible place in which the reptile could be, although it was very difficult to think with that odd snoring from overhead.

Hold on a minute…_odd snoring?_

Within a few seconds, Jane was nothing more than a blur of red traveling up the tower stairs at almost unheard of speed. It seemed to take an agonizing amount of time for her to push open the trapdoor-like coverings that kept things like rain and snow out of the tower. And, as soon as she made it up to the flagstones, Jane was immediately met with a wonderfully familiar sight; Dragon, fast asleep on the flagstones that made up the roof of her tower.

Stumbling a little in pure relief, Jane walked over to her friend's side, faintly aware of the fact that the jar Atwood had given her was still clasped in her hand. Resting on her knees, she knelt beside his head.

"Dragon?" She asked quietly, wondering for a moment whether or not he'd open his eyes at all.

Contrary to her worries, the reptile let out a sleep-garbled murmur before his eyes opened, sleepily lazing around before they focused on her.

"'Lo Coppertop." Then they zeroed in on the jar in her hands. "_Not_ again."

"Last one, I promise."

With a convulsive shudder, the medicine slid down his throat, a bit too slowly for his liking.

"That had better be it…"

Ignoring the grumble, Jane pressed on to the more prominent thought in her mind.

"How did you even get up here?"

There was a brief pause while Dragon dozily contemplated his answer.

"Not entirely certain." He replied with a yawn, head lying back on the stone. In a minute, he was snoring. Jane looked on for a moment, before sitting down next to the lightly snoring green head.

If there was one thing she could say for certain about Dragon, it was that he was full of surprises.

* * *

_**A Week Later:**_

Dragon's eyes drifted sleepily open as the sunlight shone into his cave. Yawning and stretching, he sauntered leisurely toward his cave entrance. Wings stretched, catching the wind as the grass green reptile lifted off into the air. Flipping and soaring carelessly through the early morning air, he drifted under a flock of geese. Grinning mischievously, the fire-breather beat his wings with renewed vigor, shooting up into the group with a mock-roar.

Laughing at their frightened squawks, Dragon rolled in midair with child-like merriment. Ah, the joys in the simple things in life.

Before he knew it, the familiar stone walls of the castle became apparent on the ground below. Swooping down, he began to holler with all the volume of an announcer at a football game.

"Jane, Jane!!"

His grin increased in size when he saw the familiar flair of red in the practice field; his grin also faded a bit once he realized that his intended landing was hurtling out of control, quite literally. Giving a yelp as he crashed into the wall, he was vaguely aware of barrels rolling on either side before rolling over from the sprawled position on his back.

"Must remember, tail up, claws down." He said to himself, flicking his tail thoughtfully. "Must allow for my tailwind."

Jane, meanwhile, was discussing the damages with a slightly peeved Smithy. His irk was understandable, since the knights had been exiled for their crimes, he was handling a substantial part of the labor services of the castle. However, it wasn't where the bulk of Dragon's attention was at the time; he was currently using a small part of the wood that was to be used for the knight's test as a toothpick.

"Sorry, Smithy, I shall, _we_ shall, tidy this mess up." Jane compensated, turning to the preoccupied reptile with a stern stance, but there was an almost impish glint in the green eyes that was missed.

"What mess?" Dragon asked innocently.

Jane's fingers flitting over sensitive scales was the response. The reptile instantaneously wound up on the ground, laughing and shrieking 'I will, I will' over and over with hysterical vigor in hopes it would get his friend to cease the ticklish torture. Smithy, in the meantime, had already begun picking up the wayward barrels.

"I can take care of this, Jane. You have patrol to do."

Which effectively reminded Dragon of the reason he was here.

"Come on, let's go!" He crowed as he flipped back over, sending a barrel spinning in the process. Jane hurriedly mounted, and was just about to give the fire-breather the green light when a small purple short-life darted out with a happy sounding cry.

"Jane! Jane! Let's play! You can be the damsel in distress, and I'll be the knight come to save you!" Princess Lavinia motioned a sword jab with her hands, excited by the child's fun of make-believe.

"Sorry, I would love to play, princess, but-." Jane started, but the persistent child cut her off.

"You can wear my pretty jewelry and everything."

"Oh, wonderful, but duty calls!" The redheaded squire excused, just as Dragon's eagerness to be back in the air reached a peak. Surging forward, the reptile launched himself from the wall to the sky, whooping with his 'Coppertop' as they flew into the bright morning-blue yonder.

* * *

So, finally done. My first chapter story done...feels exhilarating...^^.

You know the drill, people. Hope you enjoyed. And if not, you can make your own version. I wouldn't mind.

Though I'll be giving any flames to Dragon for firewood; caves are cold in the wintertime.


End file.
